The Magazine of Cary Academy | Fall 2020

The Magazine of Cary Academy FA L L 2 0 2 0

All politics are local, even in Middle School Page 4

GETTING IN THE ROOM: ONE ALUM’S JOURNEY ACROSS THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE Page 20

WELCOME BACK, CHARGERS! Page 18

Students flex their minds, muscles, and creativity Page 10

Democratizing debate

Page 15

Dark history, bright futures Page 24

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Dear CA Community, While the fall issue of ?, The Magazine of Cary Academy comes to you towards the end of a tumultuous 2020, we tried our best not to make the pandemic the defining theme of this issue.

Instead, we present to you myriad ways that current students, faculty, and alumni are all engaged in deepening their understanding of and engagement with the world. While these topics are particularly relevant during a presidential election cycle, the underlying mindsets are consistent with Cary Academy’s mission and our strategic vision of cultivating self-directed and bold life-long learners who make meaningful contributions to the world.

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, a team of Upper School students have helped to democratize and expand the scope of debate education in the Triangle and launched a hugely successful online summer camp. Upper School social science teacher Bill Velto helps students build important connections from the past to the present.

Alumnus Firoz Jameel (’09), himself a product of Cary Academy’s Speech and Debate program, has gone on to support civic engagement through political work and volunteerism at the local, state, and national level. And students across both divisions have found important ways to engage with the democratic process this fall, ahead of election season.

Of course, much of this work has been impacted, but not diminished, by adjustments demanded by the pandemic.

One such area has been the introduction of Flex Day. During the pandemic, in order to balance class loads and de-densify campus, many independent schools have added a similar day. But, while most have made the “flex day” a quiet day for teacher check-in and homework catch-up, Cary Academy has added another dimension. Our iteration of Flex Day also involves a large number of clubs, activities, and advisory-based activities designed to help students find and explore new interests. This effort is highly aligned with our current strategic plan and coordinated, in large part, through our new Center for Community Engagement.

Wishing all our families a safe and healthy holiday season.

Mike Ehrhardt, Head of School

The Magazine of Cary Academy FALL 2020

In this issue

COMMUNICATIONS TEAM Mandy Dailey Dean Sauls Dan Smith PHOTOGRAPHY Dan Smith The CA community HEAD OF SCHOOL Michael Ehrhardt DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS Heather Clarkson DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Mandy Dailey HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL Robin Follet DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES Jess Garcia DEAN OF FACULTY Martina Greene HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL Marti Jenkins DIRECTOR OF EQUITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Danielle Johnson-Webb DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION Karen McKenzie DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Ali Page CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Deborah Reichel

is published three times a year by Cary Academy.

4 Can I count on

20 Moving the needle

your vote?

In the United Regions of Cary Academy, every year is an election year. This eighthgrade tradition puts the fun in learning the fundamentals of democracy.

10 Let us see you flex What would you do, if given the time to explore any interest? That’s exactly the question that CA students are answering each week with an innovative new initiative.

How do you make the change you want to see in the world? For Firoz Jameel, it has been a journey that has taken him from municipal politics, to the governor’s mansion, to the White House, and back again.

24 Connecting the dots How does grappling with dark periods of history create a brighter future for students?

Bill Velto has the answer.

14 Democratizing debate Speech and debate is often the stuff of rarefied air. Faced with the global coronavirus pandemic, the student volunteers of the Triangle Debate League upped their game to deliver a world-class debate camp experience to dozens of their peers across the Triangle.

CARY ACADEMY 1500 N. Harrison Avenue Cary, North Carolina 27513 (919) 677-3873

www.caryacademy.org

Campus News 2

Snapshots 18

Alumni News 28

Campus News

CA community steps up for impact In this time of stress and uncertainty, the CA community came together in myriad ways to support our broader community. The seventh grade collected diapers, wipes, hats, and gloves for local refugee and immigrant communities and participated in gleaning with the Society of St. Andrew as part of their Migration Collaboration project. During recent Flex Days, the ninth and tenth grades

assembled dozens of meal kits for Meals on Wheels and Catholic Parish Outreach.

DELTA Service Club upcycled t-shirts into dog toys, helped pack diapers with the Diaper Bank of North Carolina, produced handmade cards for hospice patients, and helped local nonprofits sort donations.

Students held drives to help hurricane victims rebuild, people experiencing

KEEPING CHARGERS CONNECTED

CHARGERPRENEURS TAKE TOP PRIZE

In a typical year, campus would be host to dozens of events—chances for the CA community to reconnect after a summer apart. Because that wasn’t possible in 2020, CA launched Keeping Chargers Connected, a bi-weekly video series highlighting various dimensions of life at CA. To date, KCC has featured conversations with CA’s leadership team, members of the Board of Directors, students, and the PTAA, on topics ranging from anti-racism and communitybuilding to updates on how CA is adapting to meet the needs of our students and families in these challenging times.

Mary Esposito ’21, Mila Patel ’21, and Sonia Shah ’22 took the top spot in the Young Founders Institute’s 2020 Fall Makethon, publicly launching Blōra Beauty (formerly Nexkap) and generating $50 in sales in just a few hours. YFI’s Makethon challenges young entrepreneurs to work with local CEOs to craft a brand, identify market challenges, develop innovative solutions, and build leadership skills. The team plans to use the prize money to diversify their product line. Aside from lip gloss, Blōra Beauty is also developing a tobacco seed oil derived skincare product—­the idea that launched the company and earned them honors as Conrad Challenge finalists.

INNOVATION TAKES THE TEDX CARY ACADEMY STAGE The third biannual TEDx Cary Academy, organized by Head of School Dr. Mike Ehrhardt, Sonia Shah ’21, and Ashleigh Smith ‘22, focused on innovation—a fitting topic given the event’s transition to a virtual format due to COVID-19. Student speakers explored various dimensions of innovation, from creating a learning platform designed for immigrants grappling with the English language; to the value of and challenges to diversity in STEM fields; to the effects of gene splicing on our daily lives; to the way music offers our society an answer to our quest for justice and equality; and more. Check out https://bit.ly/tedxatca for more information.

CHARGERS DOMINATE TISAC CROSS COUNTRY SEASON After starting the season with a virtual alumni meet, Coach Conrad Hall led the Cary Academy girls’ and boys’ cross country teams to sweep the TISAC Championship meet. For the girls, Thuc Dzu ’21, Elise Boyse ’23, and Jenna Pullen ’23 were named to the TISAC All-Conference Team.

Five members of the boys team were named to their All-Conference Team: overall TISAC Champion Kenny Eheman ’21, Matthew Crow ’21, Kyle Murphy ’21, Sebastian Polge ’22, and Arran Swift ’23.

CHARGER CORNER GOES VIRTUAL When the (virtual for 2020) Holiday Shoppe opened in November, so too did CA’s new

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homelessness find their footing, and the hungry to have a warm meal during Yom Kippur. The Center for Community Engagement worked with Middle and Upper School students to support Read and Feed—a nonprofit dedicated to improving literacy and child hunger—by recording stories, packing lunches, and helping clean their mobile classrooms.

online student store. Visitors to the online Charger Corner (https://bit.ly/chargercorner), can now purchase all manner of Charger gear— from magnets to clothing.

In typical CA fashion, the new online store was a collaborative effort. Entrepreneurial students working with the Center for Community Engagement created website content and developed the site in partnership with the Communications team. While PTAA volunteers, our Business Office, and Development team worked on the logistics that will allow you to safely order merchandise online and get socially-distanced, curbside pickup in time for the holidays.

CA is also assembling the team needed to reopen Charger Corner in brick and mortar form and is finalizing the policies and procedures that will allow for safe in-person shopping. We can (almost) smell the coffee brewing.

CONGRATULATIONS, ATHLETES! Six members of the Class of 2021 recently signed letters of intent to participate in collegiate athletics. Thuc Dzu will run cross country and track and field for the University of Chicago. Kenny Eheman will compete on Davidson College’s soccer team. Koa Kaliebe will play soccer for Franklin & Marshall College. Aaron Messer joins the University of Pennsylvania’s soccer team. Anna Newman will swim for Davidson, where Abby Pompeo will play field hockey. Go Chargers!

A WELCOME RETURN TO CAMPUS After six months of remote learning, it was wonderful to return to in-person classes on campus at the end of September. In an effort to de-densify campus and maintain recommended social distance, the transition to “orange mode” means students in the Blue cohort are on campus Mondays and Tuesdays, Gold cohort on Thursdays and Fridays, with Wednesdays being Flex Days.

To support the return to campus, CA worked in close consultation with a committee of health professionals comprised of local physicians, nurses, and epidemiologists.

Based on best practice recommendations, CA installed handwashing stations, reworked campus ventilation systems, established in-depth sanitation procedures, launched a daily health check-in app, placed temperature monitoring stations at entry points, rethought dining procedures, distributed more than 1,000 masks to faculty and staff, and completely changed the way foot traffic flows across campus.

Faculty were provided technology to assist both in-person and remote students, including personal voice amplifiers and webcams for each classroom. Music and choral classes moved outside, a new ‘Zoom room’ was created in the Upper School, and the outdoor classroom spaces have seen significant use. In addition, CA Athletics began live-streaming matches from Fields 1 and 2, in addition to the FC Gym for Charger fans at home.

CAN I COUNT ON YOUR VOTE? Candidates who seek office in the United Regions of Cary Academy (URCA) construct personas, build biographies, and decide key issues around which they build their platform and recruit campaign staff. Members of the campaign teams do everything from researching the issues and drafting campaign speeches and position papers, to fleshing out the platform and engaging the public, to devising advertising strategies and courting donors—more on that in a bit—all to give their man (or woman) the edge. Journalists investigate the candidates and the issues that matter to the voting public while producing news and opinion pieces for the primary media outlet of the URCA, The Cary Communicator, under the auspices of Editorin-Chief (and eighth-grade language arts and history teacher) Meredith Stewart.

As in a real election, laws and regulations are enforced by an oversight body—in this case, the Board of Elections (aka Snively and Stewart). The “B of E,” as it’s affectionately

How do you teach students to be media savvy citizens, ready to understand the complex dynamics of the modern political landscape? By making them run for office, of course.

Every year since Cary Academy first opened its doors, eighth-graders have participated in a mock election. “It seems like, if you’re trying to introduce American history and government, the logical starting point is to show how it all works, beginning with the electoral process,” explains eighth-grade history teacher David Snively.

ALL POLITICS ARE LOCAL

To be clear, this isn’t your typical mock election, nor is it a costume contest. Students are challenged to take on a role that represents the various dimensions of our electoral process: candidate, campaign staff, or journalist. Most importantly: everyone is a voter. Everyone.

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known, doles out public financing, sets rates for media advertisements (curiously unaffected by inflation since 1997), manages voter registration, levies fines, approves materials distributed to voters, manages the candidate debates, and conducts the election day vote.

VOTING REFORM

In a typical year, every citizen of the United Regions of Cary Academy is provided $50 (CAD—Cary Academy Dollars) to back the candidate(s) of their choosing. Those publicly-sourced funds are the lifeblood for the campaigns and their only way of buying airtime and ad space to get their message out to the electorate. Candidates and campaigns vie for the voting public’s votes and financial support through advertising, candidate forums, statements to the media, and public appearances that give candidates and their staff the opportunity to press the flesh (at a distance this year), answer questions, and persuade the undecided.

However (here it comes), in the URCA, as in real life, election 2020 was anything but normal­—but that doesn’t mean it didn’t reflect the real world. With the school year starting with remote learning, the highly collaborative nature of the election project convinced Snively and Stewart to push back the assignment until after Cary Academy resumed in-person learning.

“Despite everything going on, because it is an election year, we could not not do this. But we couldn’t carry on as usual, either,” says Snively. “We had to rethink how we run the project, to adapt to having only some students in-person each day, and some students who are always virtual.”

So, in-person fundraisers and candidate meet-and-greets were out, and public financing of the campaigns was in.

Each candidate received a set amount of funding upon which to draw, regardless of their number of supporters.

2020 also saw another change to how the United Regions of Cary Academy votes.

(Heck, even the URCA itself changed, into the more recognizably-named “United States.”) Rather than one election, with everyone a member of the electorate, Gold cohort candidates court Blue cohort voters and vice-versa. This means personal (and political) allegiances were less likely to impact votes, and playing roles on both ends of the election provided the opportunity for students to engage the process from multiple perspectives, making them a little more media savvy in the process.

Because the Middle School is not host to the electoral trenches of a more typical campaign season, one other change has come to the eighth grade’s election project. The eighth grade was asked to put together brief live Zoom presentations with visual aids to demonstrate their understanding of elections and help educate their sixth and seventh-grade peers, who won’t get to witness the eighth-grade election in-action.

ELECTORAL COLLEGE COUNSELING

You’re probably wondering: how does this translate into students better understanding how real elections work and increased civic engagement when they reach voting age? It all boils down to simulating reality.

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“You’d be surprised to know that— despite this being a class project that takes place during the school day—just like in the real world, not everyone registers to vote,” laments Snively. “Each year, about a dozen students fail to register. Of those, three or four will show up to vote and get turned away.”

The United Regions of Cary Academy doesn’t use a convoluted system to register voters—well, no more convoluted than the real world—it uses North Carolina’s voter registration forms (with “NC” carefully scratched out and “CA” carefully written in). Only, instead of submitting them to the county board of elections, the forms go to the good ol’ B of E. Just like in the real world, errors on the forms result in voters being omitted from the rolls. This critical lesson is much easier to swallow for students, than learning it the hard way on your first election day.

Much like the real world, URCA citizens are required to vote on their own time on election day—there’s no time off from class to vote, and if you don’t get to the polls before they close, you’ve missed your chance to have your voice heard.

According to Snively, this fact surprises some students; he notes that at least five or six students forget to vote each year.

Votes cast do not count towards the direct election of candidates. Like the United States of America, the United

Regions of Cary Academy relies on an electoral college system. Students are assigned regions, and those regions are awarded electors based on populations.

In the past, some campaigns have used this to their advantage, recruiting staff from highly-populated regions to capture their all-important electoral college votes (for example, hiring three staffers from a region might almost guarantee winning that region’s electoral college votes). That strategy won’t work in 2020, with the divided, cohort-based electorates.

The project has even proven eerily similar to real life. One year, a spate of inconclusively marked ballots and a very, very tight margin of victory led to a particularly memorable election.

The Supreme Court of Teachers was convened to rule on whether or not voters’ intent could be determined by the Board of Elections when ballots were subjectively marked. Sound familiar?

But not everything reflects the real world. In the URCA, there are no primaries (election season is simply too brief), and candidates’ statements, platforms, and advertising—as well as journalists’ reports­—are held to the CA Statement of Community values.

“No matter how outsized some of the personalities they construct might be, we still have to live in the same community at the end of the day and the end of the election,” explains Snively.

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THE RESULTS ARE IN

To be clear, these aren’t trivial campaigns about what’s on the menu in the dining hall or which clubs should be offered next trimester. Instead, students tackle real-world issues, including tax rates, environmental policy, healthcare, and the minimum wage, to name a few.

Historically, members of the 8thgrade electorate form non-partisan political organizations around issues that are important to them. Analogous to Political Action Committees, these groups not only tend to sway the political conversation but extend the project’s impact beyond the conclusion of the URCA election season. government can’t hold a fundraiser; a bake sale isn’t a solution for deficit spending.”

Both Snively and Stewart note a fine line between guiding productive discourse and avoiding any influence on their students’ viewpoints. “Most politicians get into politics because they want to help out. It’s important for students to realize that there aren’t simple solutions. There are different ways to get to a goal, and we don’t always have to agree on the path we take,” says Snively.

“There’s rarely anything in politics that’s a clear-cut ‘yes and no’ or ‘right and wrong’ issue—when it comes to public discourse, the answer is often somewhere in the middle. And what it comes down to is: how do you judge the merits of different approaches?”

“We want students to be responsible, engaged citizens,” says Stewart. “That’s why we spend time going over real campaign ads from years past and create a public forum to discuss the issues. We are building media literacy and giving them the toolkit to be analytical thinkers.”

“And they’re having fun, in the process,” adds Snively.

“Many times, students choose to focus their persuasive letter project—which happens during the second trimester—on issues they became passionate about during the election project. Often, these are subjects they knew nothing about before researching it for a campaign or a journalistic article,” says Stewart. These conversations extend outside of the classroom, too. Snively often observes students discussing healthcare policy during lunch, and many eighth-grade parents find themselves discussing real-world political issues with their students at the dinner table.

Throughout, students are encouraged (if not downright required) to engage in evidence-based politics, which has the effect of reframing the world around them—often in a context they’d never considered before. “They can’t just pull arguments out of thin air,” quips Snively.

“If a candidate has a plan to fix healthcare or raise people out of poverty, they have to explain how they are going to pay for it. Each year, I have to explain that the

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PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY

Like their Middle School peers­—Upper School students study the electoral process each year. However, unlike their younger counterparts, the government mechanisms and politics that they examine are ones in which they will soon participate.

This year, the Center for Community Engagement’s Maggie Grant worked with students to hold a voter registration drive. (In North Carolina, anyone 16 and older can register to vote, although you must be at least 18 to cast a ballot.)

In Maret Jones’s Advanced U.S. Government and Politics course, students learn about the structure and makeup of the government and U.S. political process through discussions of current events.

Jones works hard to allow students to explore current political issues that are rarely, if ever, discussed in other classes while encouraging students to respect each other’s opinions. “It’s absolutely critical to create an atmosphere of trust in my class so that they can talk openly about their experiences and feel comfortable formulating their own ideas,” offers Jones. “Putting issues in contexts that feel relevant to their lives

helps them grasp those topics and build a dialogue with each other.”

One key aspect of Jones’s class is helping students discern the difference between factual statements and political rhetoric.

“I want them to be able to weed their way through stylistic choices and digest what’s really being said. I want them to be savvy consumers of political culture and always remember that words have meaning.”

To better understand how we measure the impact of those words, throughout the fall semester, Jones worked in parallel with Upper School math department chair Craig Lazarski to show students the ins and outs of polling. Students have learned about the statistical theories behind sampling and different ways to model the electorate (likely voters, registered voters, etc.) and consider how polls­—and their results­—are sometimes

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used for political effect, such as push polls and voter targeting.

This fall semester, the Community Engagement class, guided by Dr. Michael McElreath, is focused on “Democracy in North Carolina.” Chosen by students, the topic requires a deep dive into voting and voting rights in the state. Students have examined the history of voting rights, turnout, voter disenfranchisement, gerrymandering, and the intersection of race, economics, and political engagement.

Through the course, they’ve met with election attorneys, voting rights activists, and local election officials to examine these issues from a broad range of perspectives.

As a result, the class has issued public calls to the Cary Academy community to ensure that everyone who can vote does, no matter their political affiliation.

Finally, recognizing that elections can be stressful and divisive, especially in a year filled with social and economic tensions, the Center for Community Engagement along with Meirav Solomon, CA’s Student Dialogue Leader, partnered with CoEXIST to create a series of structured community dialogues. These created spaces for students to share and support each other as they processed the stresses of the pandemic, racial justice movements, economic strains, and the partisan tensions surrounding the election.

In the wake of Election Day, the Upper School’s conservative and liberal student clubs, as well as a number faculty and staff affinity groups, created safe spaces for students to either take a respite from politics or share their thoughts in a supportive environment following the election results.

SCHOLARS’ GOLF CLASSIC SUCCESS In a year where there have been so many changes and uncertainties, one thing remains constant—the support from businesses, parents, and our community for the Cary Academy Scholars’ Golf Classic— and we are so grateful. With your help we raised over $65,000 for need-based scholarships!

Golfers could not have asked for a better day of golf in November and our 49 teams (196 golfers) showed their remarkable good will and flexibility, carefully adhering to the changes and safety measures put in place this year due to COVID-19.

Grand Sponsor

Friends/Non-Participant

Kioti Tractor Endowment Circle Atlantic Tire & Service Baker Roofing LS3P PharmAvail Preston Development Roofwerks SAS The Rawl Family

Scholarship Supporter Revels Turf & Tractor The Budd Group

Faculty Friends Alexy Realty Group AVCON Brady Services Cary Academy Class of 2012 The Coley Family Data Drive Marketing Hamlin Roofing Harris Rebar Jo Family The Ryden Family SPS Corporation Shelco, LLC Alex Wilson—Cary Academy Class of 2004

WithersRavenel Law Office of Scott P. Zimmerman, PLLC

Economy Exterminators

In-Kind Sponsors

Blue Tee/Green Sponsor

Bovenizer and Baker Orthodontics Chick-fil-A of Harrison Square Chick-fil-A Stone Creek Village Cotton House Craft Brewers Donated by Coolibar in collaboration with the Polka Dot Mama Melanoma Foundation Hendrick Cary Auto Mall Image 360-Raleigh Midtown Signs Kioti Tractor Lavender Lane Flowers Long Beverage My Friend Teresa Studios Papa John’s Pepsi Bottling Ventures Polka Dot Mama Melanoma Foundation, Inc. Prestonwood Country Club The Umstead Hotel and Spa

George Finch/Boney and Associates, P.A. SAGE Dining Services

Cary Academy Friends Scott Anderson Dennis Burns Simon deSouza Charles Eisenbeis Troy George Thurston Greenwood Jim Hazen Horace Hodges Jamie Kroeger William Kuhn Brian and Lisa Mathis Tim McLane Tim Murray Michael Ovsievsky Andy Owens Brett Page Manish Patel William Schaffroth James Taylor Tim Titcomb Gene Ward

1 in 6 Snacks 42nd Street Oyster Bar & Seafood Grill Bella Monica Cucina & Vino Bertie County Peanuts Bonafide Bakeshop & Café Bond Brothers Beer Company

Bonefish Grill BurgerFi Carolina Hurricanes Chapel Hill Restaurant Group Daniel’s Restaurant and Catering Kim Eheman Embassy Suites by Hilton Raleigh/Durham Research Triangle Fleet Feet Raleigh—Morrisville Hilton Raleigh North Hills Inchin’s Bamboo Garden Jet’s Pizza Mellow Mushroom Mezza Luna Pizzeria Moe’s Nothing Bundt Cakes Cary— Morrisville Performance Food Group Sherwin Williams Smashburger Starbucks on Weston Parkway Stellino’s Italiano The Angus Barn The Produce Box The Wine Merchant Titleist Trek Bicycle Cary Triangle Rock Club Wegmans West Cary WhimsicalCookies.com

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LET US SEE YOU

FLEX

“We want the sky to be the limit,” offers Danielle Johnson Webb, Director of Equity and Community Engagement. “At CA, we pride ourselves on being dynamic, on challenging students to ‘own their learning.’

Flex Day is the very embodiment of that philosophy. We’re giving students the latitude to explore their interests, the flexibility to choose how they spend one of their days, and the dedicated, unscripted time to make it happen.”

Since Flex Day was introduced in August 2020, students have used it to start new clubs; mentor their peers; study music; perform community service; improve athletics rankings; participate in dialogues to help manage the stress of the pandemic and election; take on part-time jobs; practice mindfulness and yoga; work on long-term academic projects; pursue research with local universities; and even learn to sail.

What would you do with your time if you were given a day to explore any interest? What if you had one day each week to do just that? What curiosities would you pursue? What passions would you discover? What opportunities would you seize?

That’s precisely the concept behind Cary Academy’s new Flex Day—a designated day each week when students are free to explore ideas, interests, and activities beyond the classroom. Not only are the opportunities nearly boundless—for Upper School students, Flex Day activities need not be offered by or connected to CA in any way, shape, or form—but the programming comes from students themselves.

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With guidance from the Center for Community Engagement, any student can propose and plan Flex Day activities, which are made available to other students through a weekly signup. For Johnson-Webb, the learning that happens in that discovery and planning process is nearly as important as what happens during the proposed activity itself.

“That we empower students to seek out learning opportunities that are meaningful to them, that we instill in them the independence and initiative to do so, that we demonstrate the value of open-ended discovery—it is a crucial part of the CA experience; it is what sets CA apart,” offers Johnson-Webb.

Flex Day has had the added benefit of unlocking exciting opportunities for Middle School and Upper School collaborations.

Before Flex Day, limitations of the traditional schedule, which maintained marked differences between a Middle School and Upper School day, made cross-divisional activities nearly impossible. Now, however, students can work together across grades and divisions, opening rich opportunities for peer-learning and peer-mentoring.

While the health imperative presented by the coronavirus pandemic helped to fast-track the Flex Day initiative, the idea of building in more flexible time for students to explore their interests has long figured prominently in CA’s strategic plan. It is all part of CA’s commitment to creating learning opportunities that are personal, flexible, and relevant.

“Some iteration of Flex Day is going to be a regular part of the CA experience even after the pandemic subsides,” promises Johnson-Webb. “The Center for Community Engagement is always looking for ways to offer signature experiences that empower students to own their learning, that expose them to new things, experiences, and perspectives. It is what sets a CA student apart, what positions them so effectively to tackle whatever comes next.”

“When students are in the driver’s seat, they cultivate important skills that serve them long after they leave CA—selfawareness, empathy, leadership, perseverance, resiliency, time and project management, and an authentic passion for lifelong learning, to name a few.”

College counselor and eleventh-grade advisor, Brandon Carter has seen enthusiasm for Flex Day from students and college admissions officers alike. “That Flex Day’s programs are mostly student initiatives gives them the chance to be inquisitive, explorative, open-minded, and engaged. It allows learning to be fun, new, exciting.”

“It’s a game-changer that lets students start to figure out who they are—something that will help them find their path in college and life beyond,” continues Carter. “When I talk to college admissions staff, they’re wowed by the idea of having a day of exploration built into the daily schedule—and, frankly, most of them wish they’d had something like that when they were in school.”

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FLEX DAY IN ACTION Read on to learn about just a handful of the diverse ways students are using Flex Day to take control of their learning, pursue their passions, and share their interests with the broader community.

Middle School entrepreneurial learning sprints

Expanded service opportunities Students in the Upper School have logged an impressive 130+ hours of service learning during expanded Flex Day offerings that allow them to pursue service opportunities that align with their interests.

Seventh graders have had the opportunity to engage in hands-on entrepreneurial exploration thanks to two Flex Day learning sprints held in partnership with the University of North Carolina’s Young Founders Institute. In the first, students tackled app development, monetization, and marketing. In the second, they learned the ins and outs of raising capital for a startup, including creating an eye-catching pitch deck to appeal to potential investors.

Outdoor Club Flex Day has dramatically increased opportunities for the popular Upper School Outdoors Club. Typically only able to enjoy three excursions a year, the club now explores local state parks on a nearly weekly basis.

Virtual Charger Corner

Girl Unit Club

Entrepreneurial Upper School students learned about the ins and outs of e-commerce, website and database design, product marketing, copy-writing, branding, and photography while tackling the design, development, and launch of CA’s new online student store during a long-term, multi-Flex Day project.

Whether starting as a first-year student or transitioning from Middle School, the ninth-grade experience can be challenging for our students, especially girls. Cam Wood (’22) started Girl Unit to create a safe space for ninth-grade girls to learn how to navigate school, relationships, stress. The club has helped to form new and strengthen existing friendships amongst its members.

Middle School Debate Club After the success of a student-run speech and debate camp (check out that feature in this issue), Upper School students Andrew Lake (‘22) and Neha Sharma (‘22) used Flex Day to develop and launch CA’s first-ever Middle School Debate Club. Already over fifty students strong, they meet on Flex Day and receive instruction, coaching, and guidance from their experienced Upper School peers.

Student-led strength and conditioning program Daphne DiFrancesco (’26) created a stretch and strengthening class that she offers to all her Middle School peers every Flex Day. She crafted the curriculum from scratch based on her own dance and conditioning experience and reports that it has been “a great learning opportunity on how to teach, how to lead, and a great way to get to know people, not just in your grade, but throughout Middle School.”

Campus art installation Arts met mathematics in a joint Middle and Upper School Flex Day collaboration. Sixth through tenth graders designed and fabricated a new campus art installation—a large, symmetrical sculpture fashioned out of PVC pipe—that demonstrated interesting mathematical properties.

Sailing Club One of the more adventurous additions to the Flex Day calendar, CA’s new Sailing Club has officially, well, set sail, thanks to the efforts of club founders Matthew Schricker (’23) and Max Li (’23).

Novice and experienced sailors have participated in a free sailing clinic with the Carolina Sailing Club and RTP High School Sailing to learn the ins and outs of sailing and responsible boating. The club has plans for regular outings to Lake Crabtree and Jordan Lake, where students can put their newfound skills to practice, with an eye to competitive opportunities on the horizon.

Affinity group expansion Student leaders of the African American Affinity Group have used Flex Day to support their members better and forge community connections. They have expanded meeting times and bridged the formerly siloed Upper School and Middle School affinity groups to enable peer mentorship opportunities aimed at improving the student experience.

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Students navigate the Tar River.

Students work with Upper School science teacher Heidi Malloy to design and build a hydroponic system for the CMS greenhouse.

Members of the Sailing Club enjoy fair weather.

Students learn the finer points of stage fighting.

The seventh grade tends the community garden.

CA’s reigning champs USAYPT team uses Flex Day to investigate the properties of lava lamps.

Middle School students brighten campus with chalk art during a Flex Day field day.

The Outdoors Club enjoys a hike along the Eno River.

A Flex Day cross-divisional collaboration, the Middle School now features a math-inspired art installation.

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Democratizing Debate With the cancellations of longplanned anticipated travel, summer camps, and social gatherings looming large, a COVID-tainted summer was a far cry from what most had imagined in the early days of 2020.

Rather than focus on what was lost, however, an enterprising group of Cary Academy Speech and Debate students instead saw an opportunity.

TRIANGLE DEBATE LEAGUE

Founded at Cary Academy and now in its third year, TDL is a local collaborative nonprofit inspired by the work of the national organization, the Urban Debate League. Dedicated to broadening the debate community—long a domain of privilege—it aims to extend competitive speech and debate to public schools that do not have the staff or funds to support the activity.

“Speech and debate offers so many rich benefits: improved critical thinking, advocacy, public speaking skills, even heightened selfesteem and civic engagement,” offers Shawn Nix, Co-Director of CA’s Speech and Debate program. “Unfortunately, though, it is also an activity that requires a lot of resources— faculty, transportation, extensive travel, and expensive entry fees. It is often costprohibitive to resource-strapped institutions.”

The students are proud volunteers with the Triangle Debate League (TDL).

Thanks to their vision, leadership, and innovation, over 80 local youths that would not otherwise have access to speech and debate programming were able to participate in a world-class summer camp experience—virtually.

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That’s where TDL comes in. A collaboration between student-coaches from the University of North Carolina and Duke University, as well as CA faculty, students, and alums, TDL works with local, partner public schools to deliver debate programming.

CA students involved with TDL volunteer as peer-mentors—sharing their knowledge, helping with research, serving as judges, offering critique, and facilitating group activities with TDL peer participants. Several CA alums have also pitched in, helping to run tournaments and serving as debate coaches. To date, they have helped to bring Congressional Debate to four public high schools in Durham, North Carolina.

GOING VIRTUAL

TDL volunteer and captain of public forum debate for CA’s Speech and Debate team, Aryan Nair (’22), was the initial mastermind behind the idea of a virtual summer camp: “I had worked on Triangle Debate League’s summer camp the year prior and had been looking forward to doing it again,” Nair explains. “With COVID, I realized that an in-person camp wouldn’t be feasible, so I approached Mrs. Nix about doing a virtual one.”

With encouragement from his CA teachers, Nair got to work enlisting the help of other students to form an initial curriculum planning committee. Together, they began to meet biweekly to sketch out what a successful virtual camp might look like.

Ultimately, they settled on a week-long format, with each day designed around a specific aspect of speech and debate. The week would culminate in a tournament where campers could put it all together to show off their newly acquired rhetorical skills.

Plan in hand, they recruited additional CA peers to help bring the ambitious vision to fruition. Subcommittees were formed, and tasks delegated to address the camp’s multifaceted needs—from communications and customer service, to technology and web development, to coaching and instructional support.

Not unlike their CA teachers, camp leaders grappled with the challenge of transitioning an in-person experience to a successful virtual one—of creating an engaging experience that would retain the interest of a Zoomed-in (and, at this point in the pandemic, Zoomed-out) digital audience.

“We wanted to give the camp a really good structure. We knew we didn’t want to just give lectures via Zoom,” explains Nair. “A lot of people tend to zone out in the virtual environment; it isn’t always the most engaging.”

To make the most of both their audience’s attention spans and limited time together, they landed on offering a blend of synchronous and asynchronous content and experiences.

Campers received carefully planned asynchronous instruction through prerecorded video segments that were devised, scripted, recorded, and edited by members of the curriculum committee. Topics ranged from sound research methodologies to

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chamber etiquette, to the art of public speaking and persuasion, to speech writing and the ins and outs of crafting a compelling argument, to rebuttal and cross-fire techniques, and many others in-between.

“A lot of us had been to debate camp ourselves, or had volunteered at other debate camps, so we already had some resources that we had used or created before. We started pooling those resources, turning them into video presentations to make them more accessible,” explains Nair.

Complementing the video instruction, the coaching and instruction committee stepped in to devise and run in-person online synchronous drills via Zoom that allowed campers to put their new skills to work in small groups. It also offered campers important face time with coaches, who answered questions and gave tips on impromptu topics, like strategies to overcome stuttering or repetition.

A technology committee tackled arguably one of the most crucial components: establishing the virtual platform that would form the digital backbone of the camp.

Ritvik Nalamothu (’21), who led that effort, explains: “TDL had an existing website, but it was just a supplementary resource to our in-person operations. For camp, we had to convert it to be the primary resource; we had to develop a comprehensive virtual platform.”

And they did just that, designing and building an impressive one-stop virtual experience where campers could access all the resources they needed—welcome videos, daily and weekly schedules, links to assigned Zoom rooms, and a digital library of the video learning resources that had been created.

Nalamothu also worked closely with RJ Pellicciotta, CA’s Co-Director of Speech and Debate, and debate teacher Shannon Nix, to get camp tournaments up and running on the National Speech and Debate Association’s official Tabroom.com competitive platform.

Doing so ensured that campers would have an authentic experience, one that reflected

the look and feel of a typical tournament they might attend in their competitive future.

BEYOND EXPECTATIONS

In all, the camp represented a highly concerted and collaborative team effort.

“There were a lot of students contributing across a wide variety of roles,” reflects Nalamothu. “We had students participating with me on the tech team, over a dozen others creating the curriculum. We had students that were counselors. Others worked communications or served as judges.

“It was remarkable to see the amount of student capital that went into it—and to see how their individual contributions came together in the successful final product.”

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Impressed by the planning, infrastructure, and resources developed by the students, Nix lobbied them to expand the camp’s planned capacity and open the experience to CA’s Middle School students. The leaders agreed, and within 24 hours, registration jumped from 35 to 82 participants.

Far from flustered, the camp leaders took it in stride, pivoting to offer both morning and afternoon sessions, one for middle and another for high school students.

Speech and debate teachers Shawn and Shannon Nix were blown away by remarkable leadership and initiative exhibited by their CA students. “I’m continually amazed by them,” marvels Shawn. “Honestly, I don’t know how they did it all. They ran with it, and it went off without a hitch.”

By all accounts, the camp was an unequivocal success. Comments provided on campers’ feedback surveys (yep, the students planned for feedback to improve future experiences) were unanimously positive. “I haven’t had my brain working like this since lockdown—thanks for making me able to think again,” shared one camper.

Parents and campers alike exalted the camp as a positive and fun learning experience, expressing deep gratitude for camp leaders.

Others were enthused over their new-found excitement to further explore speech and debate (enthusiasm that yielded real-world results, this fall, with the creation of the firstever Middle School Debate Club).

For their part, camp leaders are proud of their efforts. And they are hopeful that the virtual pivot necessitated by COVID will become a mainstay in the debate community—even after the pandemic is over.

“TDL has opened the pathway for expanding access to speech and debate resources. And in many ways, COVID is democratizing speech and debate,” reflect Nalamothu. “The shift to virtual venues, the removal of logistical obstacles like transportation, means that more people will have access, that TDL students will

be able to participate in the same tournaments CA students do.”

A TWO-WAY STREET

Nix is always quick to point out that the learning in Triangle Debate League goes both ways—that CA’s student volunteers benefit as much from the experience and their fellow TDL participants as the participants do from them.

By all accounts, the camp was no different.

“Over the course of doing Congressional debate throughout high school, I have developed skills to synthesize information and present it persuasively in ways that allow me to advocate for things that I believe in,” offers Nalamothu.

“It was immensely rewarding and gratifying to see the same progress that I have made, in others, with just a week at camp—to watch as our students went from having rudimentary skills to being able to deliver well-researched, persuasive speeches on a wide variety of topics.”

“Running the TDL camp was as much a learning experience for us as our campers,” reflects Nair. Whether it was honing their own debate skills or teaching, or working on a website, or learning how to lead and organize a project of this magnitude— everyone took away important skills that they can use in their future.”

For Jane Sihm (’22), who helped with camp communications and moderated tournaments, the lessons were both practical and philosophical. “I learned so much: communication skills, collaboration, leadership. But my biggest takeaway was not to let barriers stop you from achieving your goals,” she muses.

“There were a lot of obstacles to pulling this off in a pandemic, but we didn’t let that stop us. We shifted our mindset; we broke it down into manageable pieces. And, before we knew it, we had helped dozens of kids. We had made a difference.”

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Once given the green light to resume ATHLETICS, our Chargers were thrilled to get back in the game.

Snapshots The Indian Subcontinent Affinity Group created beautiful rangolis across the quad in celebration of DIWALI.

From hosting food and supply drives, to volunteering at various local nonprofits, to thoughtful outreach efforts to boost spirits, the CA community came together in SERVICE in numerous ways this fall.

The sorely missed sights and sounds of our ARTISTS AT WORK have returned to campus, in and out of the studio.

The quad was practically (and literally) oozing HALLOWEEN spirit as each Upper School grade created a spooky porch design and celebrated in style.

The CLASS OF 2021 made their mark on campus (and their cars) as they kicked off the start of the school year.

Alumni Spotlight

At only 29 years old, Firoz Jameel (‘09) is already a seasoned political operative.

Since his freshmen year at CA, Jameel has worked every election cycle, save one. It has been a fifteen-year journey that has taken him from municipal politics to the North Carolina governor’s mansion, the White House, and back again.

MOVING THE

NEEDLE

His experience has encompassed myriad political roles—from grassroots volunteer to community organizer, campaign operative to paid political consultant, even to the part of personal aide for a prominent politician during a high-profile campaign, and numerous others in-between. Altogether, it is an arc that has afforded him an insider’s view into the many dimensions of electoral politics.

Jameel—who graduated from Duke University with degrees in economics and public policy before earning his Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina in 2019—has been following the call to civic engagement for almost as long as he can remember.

“I was politically engaged at an early age,” says Jameel. “I would follow stories covered in the Raleigh News & Observer. I was always fascinated to see how they would unfold.”

A foray into Cary’s municipal politics in ninth grade—delivering a speech to the Cary Town Council in successful opposition to the construction of a large hotel in his neighborhood—proved formative, sparking an initial interest in grassroots politics.

“It was that moment, almost accidentally, that I realized that those involved in decisionmaking processes are those that are in the room. It was those that showed up, those that made their voices heard.”

“Debate gave me important insights into how political issues are framed for the public.

It made me realize that, for all issues, there are always going to be two sides. It taught me how to analyze both—and to effectively understand and argue, not only the side I agree with but the one that I don’t,” explains Jameel. “I learned how to empathize with people that might not share my opinion, and to craft persuasive arguments that appeal to different constituencies with different beliefs.”

The lessons imparted by the Speech and Debate program were not limited to argumentation, policy, and persuasion, however. “My debate coach, Carole Hamilton, instilled in me that it is always worth doing the right thing, even if it is hard to do,” reflects Jameel. “And RJ Pellicciotta taught me not to be intimidated by things that may seem bigger than me— that I have the tools to tackle them.”

INTO THE FRAY

He got his first opportunity to put those tools to good professional use as an undergraduate at Duke University, securing an internship in the communications office of North Carolina Governor Beverly Purdue.

He was responsible for social media and video production—a role he landed, in part, because of expertise gained at CA. “I had taken video production at CA for my art credit,” explains Jameel. “I knew how to communicate a message, how to elevate the production value of the digital assets we were creating, even better ways to light the governor.

She was so pleased with my work that she helped me apply for a White House internship.”

He laughs, “Let that be a lesson: that random elective you take in high school may just be the key to advancing your career.”

And advance it, it did—first to that internship in the Office of Intergovernmental

THE ART OF PERSUASION

At CA, he discovered an opportunity to do just that—make his voice heard— throwing himself into CA’s Speech and Debate program. It is an experience that Jameel credits—alongside an opportunity to work the 2008 Iowa caucuses with two CA classmates—for fanning that initial spark of political interest into a full flame.

Jameel’s specialty was extemporaneous speaking, an event where speakers are expected to prepare a seven-minute speech on a current events topic with only 30 minutes to prepare. A broad knowledge base and the ability to think your feet under pressure were crucial.

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“WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE CREATING A SOCIETY WHERE ALL PEOPLE ARE EMPOWERED TO BE CIVICALLY ENGAGED, REGARDLESS OF THEIR RESOURCES OR BACKGROUNDS.” —FIROZ JAMEEL ‘09

Affairs in President Barack Obama’s White House (an experience he sums up as “awesome”), and later to a high-profile role within Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina Walter Dalton’s gubernatorial campaign.

As Dalton’s “body man,” Jameel was his right-hand personal aide, accompanying him on the campaign trail and assisting with all facets of his day-to day-campaign.

“Being at the side of the Lieutenant Governor all those months gave me a much deeper understanding of the political process and everything that is required to be a politician—including the stress involved.”

After Dalton’s loss in the 2012 gubernatorial campaign, Jameel turned to the private sector for a needed respite from the stress of professional politics. The call of civic responsibility would prove too strong, however, and, in 2016, he found himself returning to the political arena.

“At that time, the image of North Carolina that was being presented by our elected policymakers did not align with the state that I knew,” says Jameel. “I wanted to make a difference­­­—to restore my state’s reputation to the welcoming, inclusive, open North Carolina that got my parents to move here in the 1980s.”

Jameel threw his political acumen and gift for persuasive rhetoric into political consulting, creating outreach strategies to drive fundraising for candidates aligned with this vision of North Carolina. The work proved both rewarding—and revealing.

“Aside from making an impact, I realized what appealed to me most was figuring out how best to appeal to voters—determining what messages would ultimately sway their decisions to vote for my candidate. It made me realize that I wanted to pursue marketing.”

Jameel earned his Master of Business Administration from UNC in 2019. These days, he leverages his passion for persuasion as a brand manager in the private sector, designing campaigns to win over consumers to his product lines.

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GETTING IN THE ROOM

While he has hung up his professional political career (for now), he remains committed to civic engagement through active volunteerism. With age and experience has come a deeper, more nuanced understanding of issues that confront our political processes—of the challenges of “getting people into the room” where the decisions are made—including challenges of inclusivity, equity, and privilege.

“As I’ve gotten older, I realize we need to ask questions about who knows the room exists and who can access it,” offers Jameel.

“We need more voices to be heard. And we have to ensure that we are creating a society where all people are empowered to be civically engaged, regardless of their resources or backgrounds.”

Ensuring that everyone can “get in the room” has been in sharp focus for Jameel this year. And it’s why he committed himself to turn out the vote, serving as an election judge at precinct 404 in Forsyth County, North Carolina. Working alongside his fellow judge and chief judge, he ensured that the 2020 election was run fairly, freely, and to the letter of the law.

“I read articles about the need for poll workers, about how the average poll worker was above retirement age—the very population most vulnerable to coronavirus.

There were dire predictions that without enough poll workers, precincts would have to close,” explains Jameel. “I saw it as a call to do my part—to fill the need in the community.

This election was critical, and regardless of party affiliation, I wanted people to vote.”

THE GOOD FIGHT

As for what comes next, Jameel has recently relocated to Winston-Salem for his position with Reynolds American. It’s a new community for him, and one where he is learning the lay of the land.

As always, he is thinking strategically about the best way to improve and advocate for his

Jameel briefs then-Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton in the campaign bus prior to an event in Eastern North Carolina in 2012.

community and to encourage and empower others to do the same. In many ways, he’s come full circle—from local politics to state to national and now back to local.

“I’m focused on building a future here. The government that you and I will interact with daily is the municipal government; it controls our local infrastructure, environment, and local economies. There are opportunities at the local level to make a profound impact.”

At the heart of all that Jameel does is a profound commitment to face down cynicism, to highlight the power of the people. “A lot of people have this perception that nothing they do matters. Across all my political and civic engagement work, this has been one of the biggest challenges, the biggest obstacles to overcome,” says Jameel.

“But we have to fight against that. We don’t have to accept that something has to happen one way just because that is how it’s always been. We can ask the right questions, discern the reason things are the way they are, and then figure out how to make it better. We can exert our influence; we can shape policy for the better by showing up, by making our voices heard. Together, we can move the needle.”

THE CA WAY

Looking back, Jameel credits the Cary Academy community for motivating him to think big and work hard in the pursuit of impact and positive change. “Whether it was my friend piloting work in the community

Jameel films North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue as a communications intern in 2010.

to fight hunger or another friend that was consistently the best runner in the state, at CA, I was surrounded by fellow students that were motivated to do their best—to always strive for better. It wasn’t competitive; on the contrary, it was supportive and incredibly inspiring,” offers Jameel. “It made me push for success.”

Jameel—who is on CA’s Alumni Council— is quick to point out the crucial role that the tight-knit CA community continues to play in his life, even now, long after graduation.

(He received no less than six spontaneous texts from former CA classmates during his brief interview for this profile).

“You have those friendships that seem to be frozen in amber, frozen in time. They are pretty to look at and reflect on, but they don’t grow,” muses Jameel. “My friendships from Cary Academy aren’t like that; they’re different.

“I still talk and hang out with my CA friends, not because we are reliving our high school glory days, but because we have chosen to stay in each other’s lives even as we have evolved as people—as we have undertaken careers, started families, and pursued our goals.

“Through thick and thin, we’re still pushing each other to be the best version of ourselves and to make a positive impact in our communities. Because that is just what we did as CA students, and what we want to continue to do as CA alumni.”

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ASK VETERAN HISTORY TEACHER BILL VELTO TO SUM UP HIS TEACHING PHILOSOPHY BUMPER-STICKER STYLE, AND YOU’LL GET A QUICK ANSWER: “COMFORT THE DISTURBED AND DISTURB THE COMFORTABLE,” HE RESPONDS WITH A BIG SMILE.

It is an oversimplification for sure—it was meant to be a bumper sticker, after all—but one that nonetheless encapsulates two of Velto’s enduring passions. The first: pushing students to stretch outside of their comfort zones to ask difficult questions and consider new perspectives. And, the second: inspiring and instilling empathy for his fellow humans.

HARD HISTORY

For the last twenty years in CA’s Upper School, some of Velto’s most popular classes have delved into the dark side of our collective history, tackling challenging topics like genocide, human trafficking, terrorism, and extremism. And while it might be more comfortable to maintain a degree of distance from such difficult subject matter—to consider it from a safe remove through a solely historical lens—Velto instead asks his students to lean in. He encourages them to dig deep to find connections—even uncomfortable ones—and consider how the past has led to and shaped the present.

“The hard history of the past certainly isn’t dead. And it is rarely as distant as we’d like to think it is,” muses Velto.

Crafted in the wake of the September 11 attacks, Velto’s terrorism course exemplifies his approach. Terrorism is an exceptionally complex subject and one that fascinates him (students are encouraged to draw upon his extensive personal library of books on the topic). To foster a multi-faceted understanding, Velto requires students to step outside of themselves to consider the issue from all sides—some of which complicate and problematize how we, as Americans, tend to view our place in the world.

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It would be understandable if Velto required his students to demonstrate their mastery with a long and thoroughly-sourced research paper (and to be fair, many choose to do just that). However, Velto—whose background in theatre is almost as comprehensive as his in history—is open-minded, preferring to trust students to leverage their strengths and creativity to define their capstone projects. As a result, students have produced videos, board games, pottery, poetry, and even interpretative dances that go beyond simple recitation of facts and figures to reflect on terrorism’s root causes, social impacts, policy challenges, and human costs.

Velto’s classes are continually evolving. His responsive curriculum is a direct reflection of the closeness of history and the value of letting students chart their own course as they consider how history continues to shape their communities, even their own lives.

Take, for example, his Slavery and Human Trafficking course. Initially intended as a historical survey of the history of the Atlantic slave trade, Velto broadened the class’s scope after the discovery of a sex-trafficking ring in Cary. The revised curriculum casts slavery not as an issue of the distant past but as a contemporary plague that hits closer to home than most imagine.

“Many students are shocked to learn that more people are enslaved around the world today than in the 19th century,” shares Velto.

“It’s eye-opening when they see how the roots of structural racism grew around things like the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment.”

For Jennifer Guy (’05), conversations sparked in Velto’s classes presaged the current national conversation about structural racism: “Mr. Velto’s lessons led to necessary and thoughtful conversations that are important for high school students. As an African-American female (and one of very few African-American students in my class), it gave me a deep appreciation for the type of education Cary Academy provides. Not sugar-coating history and race relations for a group of students—the

majority of whom are white—is paramount to becoming an anti-racist society that celebrates and appreciates people from all ethnicities.”

THE PATH TO UNDERSTANDING

Tackling such challenging subject matter relies on providing students with a toolkit of critical thinking skills. With this in mind, Velto joined his colleagues in the Upper School history department to reimagine the school’s world history curriculum, ensuring that all ninth grade students start with a course on themes in, and critical approaches to, history. Based in historical theory, the course lays the foundations for success throughout the rest of a student’s path through history courses at Cary Academy.

“The reality is that these critical thinking skills are useful beyond just history and beyond Cary Academy—I’ve had alumni tell me how impressed their professors are with their research, organization, writing, and analytical reasoning skills. All of that starts with this class. It’s really kind of neat to see kids apply these skills to things like posts in their social media feeds,” Velto explains.

Once students complete Themes and Approaches to History (SOC 101), possible courses open to them follow a framework known as Passages Across Themes in History (PATH). Known as “PATH,” this framework allows faculty to develop semester-long courses on topics like the French Revolution, Latin American history, the rise and fall of the Soviet Union, and the impact of the Industrial Revolution on imperialism, to name a few. This ultimately lets faculty teach to their strengths and allows students to follow their passions, taking deep dives into topics that they might not otherwise encounter until much later in their collegiate careers.

For Velto, PATH allows him to teach difficult topics to students who seek to

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advice when she first began teaching (she’s remained in touch, monthly, ever since).

LIFE LESSONS

have their viewpoints challenged. “I’ve tried in my career to focus on ‘hard history’—things that are out there in history that are unpleasant, things many people would prefer to sweep aside in favor of focusing on the patriotic, the boisterous, the fantastic,” shares Velto.

“But that does a disservice to everyone, especially those whose voices would go unheard, as well as to our students, who may not ever encounter things like slavery, radicalization, and ethnic cleansing in their lives.

“It can be overwhelming for students to realize how many things in their lives are connected to something that they not only view as evil but didn’t even realize still existed,” continues Velto. “But these conversations—as they grapple with the cognitive dissonance brought on from difficult facts and uncomfortable stories— helps them develop empathy and a more nuanced worldview, as they see the broader connections in the world around them.”

And, for Velto, this might be one of the most crucial lessons of all: an understanding that not everyone has the same experience—that everyone, in one way or another, is enmeshed in and effected by legacies of the past that have deep connections to the present. “I was raised by parents who were active in the

Civil Rights Movement, and my father was a community organizer. They made sure I was aware from an early age that I perceive, interact with, and move through the world very differently than other people do,” says Velto.

By fostering awareness about empathy in the classroom, he hopes to help students to become better people. “Improving someone else’s life. That’s ultimately the point of being a teacher, isn’t it?” reflects Velto, whose philosophy was inspired by one of his own teachers.

“The flower produces seeds that get spread to become more flowers, which produce more seeds… I’m a flower. To a certain extent, I’m spreading the seeds of these ideas. Some will find fertile soil and bloom quickly. Others will lay dormant and bloom much later. Some may never bloom. One of the challenges of teaching is the fact that I may never know which seeds bloom and which don’t.”

Velto’s former students rave about the positive impact his teaching philosophy has had on their lives. “From seeing the way Bill is with kids, I realized I could do more than just teach information from a book. I can transform a student’s experience and help them grow as a full human being,” shares Alyson Titkemeyer (’04), who immediately sought Velto’s

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Titkemeyer’s experience isn’t unusual; Velto’s care and support for CA’s students don’t end at the classroom door. In addition to serving as an assistant coach for the varsity softball team, Velto has played a critical role as faculty advisor for numerous student clubs and affinity groups. He helped foster what became the Muslim Student Affinity Group during discussions of anti-Muslim violence after September 11. He stepped in to support the Indian Subcontinent Affinity Group when their advisor could not continue.

And his passionate advocacy for LGBTQ+ issues made him a perfect fit for the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, alongside lead advisor German Urioste.

“In many ways, I think the affinity groups are among the most important work done here. Before kids can learn, they have to feel they are welcome. They have to connect with the community.

They have to become a part of the community,” offers Velto. “I think the affinity groups really help to do that.”

Even after his students have graduated from CA, Velto keeps in touch and maintains a virtual open-door policy.

He sees his students as “advisees for life”—and continues to share advice on topics that range far beyond the history classroom. More than anything, Velto hopes his students take away “that I care about them as a person and want them to be successful, in all aspects.”

“Mr. Velto has an almost unique ability to teach in the classroom, while also molding students to love learning, providing support and advocacy for students in need, lending an ear and advice to students who may not be able to find it elsewhere (or need an alternative

“ FROM SEEING THE WAY BILL IS WITH KIDS, I REALIZED I COULD DO MORE THAN JUST TEACH INFORMATION FROM A BOOK. I CAN TRANSFORM A STUDENT’S EXPERIENCE AND HELP THEM GROW AS A FULL HUMAN BEING.” —ALYSON TITKEMEYER (‘04)

opinion), and caring for students as individuals,” writes Alex Wilson (’04).

“Looking back on my time at CA, I realize that it was the conversations with teachers like Mr. Velto during advisory, after school, in the throes of college searches, after athletic defeats, or just in the hallway that have stuck with me the most.”

Maggie Zeillmann (’13) (née Birmingham Corbett) credits Velto for helping her find success after she chose to become a history teacher herself. “Bill was my advisor and an important mentor for me, especially after graduation. Now in my fourth year as a history teacher, it’s invaluable knowing I can turn to him when I have questions or when I’m looking for ideas about how to teach content or skills with my students. His help has been especially valuable this year. When my school went one-to-one with computers for every student this year, Bill made time to Zoom with me, helping me develop a plan for using technology in my classroom based on his wealth of experience. Teaching is a team sport, and I feel lucky to have such a wonderful mentor to turn to when I need input.”

PLANTING SEEDS

Velto’s positive impacts aren’t limited to the Cary Academy community. In addition to his long term role as the Lead Social Science Teacher at the Governor’s School of North Carolina, recently, Velto’s expertise in teaching about terrorism and his ever-present willingness to raise new ideas led to an opportunity to collaborate with the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL) at American University.

Responding to PERIL’s release of a fictional short film illustrating the dangerous rise of domestic radicalism in the era of COVID-19, Velto worked with PERIL’s Director, Cynthia Miller-Idriss, and Christina Cliff, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Security Studies at Franklin Pierce University, to co-author a discussion guide for teachers, parents, and students. The guide offers advice on approaching and developing strategies to address extremism, including potential election violence or volatility, within learning communities.

Despite the national attention from educational colleagues, achieving success

and acclaim within the state, and having put his mark firmly on Cary Academy’s curriculum, Velto remains remarkably humble, “I feel lucky every day that [CA] gives me the incredible opportunity to talk to students about topics that I am deeply passionate about. It certainly doesn’t feel like I’ve been here for 20 years.”

While Velto feels the tug of wanting to be closer to his family in upstate New York, he says that his experience at CA has set “such a high bar, that no other institution comes close.” He notes that CA’s forwardthinking leadership, willingness to embrace innovative curricula and emphasis on technological tools to advance learning are a large part of what keeps him in Cary.

More than anything else, though, he credits his students. “The thing that’s remained most consistent over the years is the sort of kids we’re fortunate to teach at CA. They come from all sorts of backgrounds and experiences, but they all find a way to accept each other. They help each other find their fit.”

Although, if you ask his students, Bill Velto plays a pivotal role in building that community.

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Alumni News

2004

2020

Kelly (Will) Sheppard and her husband, Parker Sheppard, welcomed a daughter, Margaret Ann Sheppard, in August 2020. They’ve been enjoying every minute with her and can’t believe how fast she is growing. 1

Lara Crochik was named one of LatinxEd’s “20 Under 20” Latinx leaders for her commitment to lifelong learning, demonstrated commitment to her community, and inspiring leadership. https://latinxed.org/20-under-20/

2005/2008

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Julianne (Gonski) Dixon married Philippe Dixon on August 15, 2020 in Raleigh, NC. Jordan (Winn) McKenzie (’08) married Matthew McKenzie in the mountains of Asheville, NC in November of 2019. Several CA alumni were in attendance including Lori Fisher (’08), Ayla Koc (‘08), Matron of Honor Julie (Cooper) Colman (‘08), Tyler Ford (‘08), Sarah (Hussey) Bonds (‘08) and Groomsman Charlie Winn (‘05). After eight years in Washington, DC, Jordan and Matthew recently moved back to North Carolina and now reside at their home in Burlington. 2

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2011 Elise Everett is currently employed as a 3D artist by Art Bully and lives in Raleigh, NC. She recently participated in Ludum Dare—a 72-hour online jam where games are made from scratch in a weekend. Out of approximately 2,400 entries, her team’s game, The Curse of Cattenburg, ranked 12th overall and 3rd in graphics. The team plans to develop the game further. https:// honestdan.itch.io/the-curse-of-cattenburg

2012 Tyler Powell and Szu-Aun Lim were recently inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha, a national medical honor society that recognizes high academic achievement and demonstration of leadership, professionalism, research, teaching, and service within the field of medicine. They are currently in their final year of medical school at East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine. Tyler and Szu-Aun are applying for residencies in anesthesiology and general surgery, respectively. 3

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2013 Maggie (Birmingham-Corbett) Zeillmann was awarded the 2020 Distinguished New Teacher Award by Tennessee Education Association (TEA) for her excellence in the classroom. 4

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Twenty-eight

The Magazine of Cary Academy

Alumni News

19TH ANNUAL (AND FIRST-EVER VIRTUAL) ALUMNI CROSS COUNTRY MEET One of Cary Academy’s enduring traditions is the alumni cross country meet, which brings together Coach Conrad Hall, CA alumni, and the current cross country team to kick off the school year. While we couldn’t hold the meet in person this year, that didn’t stop 23 alumni runners from lacing up and hitting trails across the country (and around the world!) for CA’s first virtual alumni meet in August. It was all kicked off by Emily Lane (‘17) (paced by Anna Lane (’20)) on the same McAlpine Park course on which the Charger women won their first NCISAA state title, five years ago.

Calling all alumni!

CA’s Career Connections is going virtual this year. We’re looking for alums who can share career information and advice from their respective fields.

Please contact Kara Mulligan, Alumni Relations Director, at kara_mulligan@caryacademy.org if you would like to participate.

THE SPECTOR FAMILY FUND This fall, the Spector Family Fund was established at Cary Academy.

Established in memory of Grey Spector (‘16), and in honor of the entire Spector family’s impact on Cary Academy, the Spector Family Fund is a merit-based award that will be given annually to an upper school student who exemplifies Grey’s spirit—his individuality and an unwavering commitment to the pursuit of passions.

The award supports the recipient’s tuition for a year. Students are encouraged to apply annually, and faculty members may also nominate students for recognition.

A senior at Duke University at the time of his passing in 2020, Grey was the eldest of four Spector sons that attended Cary Academy for their Middle and Upper School careers. Even after graduating, Cary Academy remained an important part of Grey’s life. He credits Cary Academy with encouraging him to pursue his passions. He particularly treasured his time on the Speech and Debate team, where he explored different viewpoints and developed supportive and enduring friendships. After CA, Grey embarked on a successful collegiate career at Duke University, where he earned degrees in philosophy, public policy, and economics, and had recently been admitted to Duke University Law School.

Applications will be made available to Upper School students in winter of 2021, and the first recipient will be announced during the Upper School Awards Ceremony in May of 2021.

To learn more about the fund or ways to support it, you can visit https://bit.ly/spectorfamilyfund or contact Ali Page, Director of Development, at ali_page@caryacademy.org.

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The Magazine of Cary Academy

Twenty-nine

1500 N. Harrison Ave. | Cary, NC 27513 caryacademy.org

CHALKING UP 2020

In accordance with our mission and the law, Cary Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, national and ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or age.